Standing in the front rank of the medical profession in Grand Rapids is Dr. James Orton Edie, who for a period of thirty-five years has ministered to suffering humanity in Kent county. He was born on the 14^th day of June, 1837, in the town of Hebron, Washington county, N. Y., and is the son of David W. and Matilda (Austin) Edie, whose deaths occurred in 1871 and 1875 respectively. The doctor was reared on the parental homestead and enjoyed the advantages of the common schools, which he attended during his youth, subsequently supplementing the knowledge this obtained by a course in an educational institution of a higher grade in the city of Oswego.

In early life a natural taste led him to devote much attention to art, and for some years his studies were prosecuted with the intention of becoming an artist. For well grounded reasons he finally relinquished this idea; and two years before attaining his majority began the study of medicine, for which he had long manifested a decided predilection. His first instructor was Dr. Austin, a well known physician and surgeon of Oswego, under whom he prosecuted his studies until entering the medical department of the Michigan university, which he attended during the winter of 1859-60. In the latter year he became a student of the Jefferson Medical college, Philadelphia, Pa,, from which he was graduated in 1864, locating immediately there after at Rockford, Kent county, Mich., where he successfully practiced his profession one year, removing thence to Lowell. Dr. Edie’s stay in the latter place extended over a period of thirteen years, during which time, by close attention to the wants of the public and by diligent study, he succeeded in building up a large and lucrative practice, and winning for himself much more than local repute as a skillful physician and surgeon.

In connection with his profession the doctor was for some years engaged in the mercantile and lumber business at Lowell, which added materially to his financial profits, but he finally disposed of these interests for the purpose of locating in a more populous center, where he could devote his entire time and attention to the healing art. Such a field he found in Grand Rapids, to which city he removed in 1875, and from that date to the present time his practice has come up to his expectations, being in every respect encouraging and satisfactory.

Dr. Edie’s name appears on the rolls of a number of medical bodies, among which are the Michigan State Medical, Western Michigan, and Grand Rapids societies, the National Medical association, and the National association of Railway surgeons.

By natural endowments and professional acquirements, Dr. Edie is admirably adapted to the noble profession to which his life has been consecrated, and his success therein long since won for him a creditable standing among the leading physicians of the city and county. His long years of experience have rendered him unusually skillful in the treatment of many obstinate diseases; and the genial manner with which he enters the sick room at once inspires the patient’s confidence and makes him the ideal family physician.

Dr. Edie possesses fine social qualities, and his deportment is always characterisic of the true gentleman. His demeanor under all circumstances is pleasant and agreeable, and to a happy temperament is due some measure of the success which ha attended his protracted period of professional service.

The doctor was united in marriage at Lockport, N. Y., June 30, 1860, to Miss Laura Gaskell, a native of that city, a union blessed with the birth of two children Lynne, wife of Hon, F. K. Baker, of Menominee, Mich., and Mabel, who is married to E. S. Ferry, of Salt Lake City, Utah, a nephew of the late United State Senator Ferry. Mrs. Edie, a woman of many noble traits, respected by all who knew her, departed this life on the 16^th day of June, 1883.

The doctor is a member of the B. P. O. E., belonging to Daisy lodge, No. 48, and is also prominent in Masonic circles, in which he has taken a number of degrees, including that of Sir Knight. He is a leading spirit in the Peninsula, Country and Lakeside clubs, and for a period of five years was examining surgeon for the United States army, also acting in a similar capacity for various life insurance companies represented in Grand Rapids. Additional to what has been said relative to his professional career, he was for some years and now consulting physician and surgeon for both Butterworth and U. B. A. Hospitals of this city, and for one year filled the chair of mental and nervous diseases in the Grand Rapids Medical college.

The doctor was reared in the Presbyterian church and received the rite of baptism at the hand of Rev. Dr. Bullions, of Washington county, N.Y., who performed the same service for both his father and mother. Such, in brief, are the leading facts in the life of one of the successful professional men and representative citizens of Grand Rapids. Much